This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
N.Y.C. Public Schools to Reopen Partially in September ¶
On July 8, 2020, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that public schools would not fully reopen in September, citing the need to continue curbing the coronavirus outbreak.
The decision to opt for a partial reopening, with limited classroom attendance, may hinder hundreds of thousands of parents from returning to their pre-pandemic work lives, undermining the recovery of the local economy.
Under the mayor's plan, school principals will spend July determining which of three staggered schedule options to adopt, based on how many students and staff can fit into school buildings while social distancing, and on how many families want their children to return to school in the first place.
Parents will be informed in August which days their children can report to school, and which days they will learn remotely.
The city's models are based on current federal guidelines that recommend six feet of distance between students. If that recommendation becomes less restrictive over the summer, it is possible that city students could physically attend school more frequently.
Reopening public schools, even in a limited capacity, is the biggest and most complex obstacle on New York's long path to a full reopening.
The city will have to find other public and private space to accommodate thousands of children a day, as school buildings will be fully occupied by September.
